


Rito Adventures in Adultery

by Sinfully_Salty



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA - Freeform, Anal Sex, Angst, Caught, Character Death, Cheating, Clothed Sex, F/M, First Time Blow Jobs, Flashbacks, Gay Sex, Grinding, Hurt/Comfort, I have no idea what I'm doing, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Please Send Help, Rimming, Sad, Self-Harm, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Spoilers, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unrequited Love, excessive gay, the straight part isn't really important or present
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-11 16:08:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13527822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinfully_Salty/pseuds/Sinfully_Salty
Summary: Kass was never exactly close with Amali.Note: Spoilers abound in later chapters.Hit me up on twitter: https://twitter.com/AssortedSalts





	1. ...Oops

**Author's Note:**

> First fic on AO3 woooo  
> Anywho, I've noticed a distressing lack of Kass related content and have decided to correct this grievous error. Oh, also, this chapter is entirely smut. The next chapter will contain plot I swear. Maybe.

“I don’t know about this…”

“Come on, we both know you want this as badly as I do.”

“I thought you had a wife.”

“Please, Link. It’s just… it’s been so long since-goddess, just like that-since I’ve been, well, _intimate_ with anyone and-” The rito muttered a few curses under his breath as the boy worked his legs around the larger man. “I need this right now, Link. I need this so badly. I need _you_.”

The blonde was straddling his waist now, pinned against the rough bark of a tree by a rather imposing figure. Kass shuddered as the boy wrapped his arms around his neck, ragged breaths traipsing over blue feathers as he rolled his hips and whispered, “Then take me”

That was all the bard needed to hear, practically tackling Link to the ground, lust overtaking him as he pulled the hylian’s face to his own, hungrily exploring his mouth. His larger tongue dominated the boy’s own, savoring his sweet moans and taste. He craved Link, craved everything about him. The way his hips swayed as he walked, the slight bounce of his hair with every movement, those beautiful eyes and that mouth, goddess that mouth.

He released the smaller figure, gasping and panting in the heat of their passion. He gripped Link’s thighs, pulling him closer, pressing himself in between his legs. He squeezed the boy as he trailed his hands across his frame, slipping under his shirt to tease his chest, taking satisfaction in the surprised yelp he got in response. He pressed his need against the hero’s soft, firm ass, groaning as the boy reached between them to palm his growing erection.

The sweet pleasure of skin against skin was all that Kass could think about right now. That wonderful buzz born of warmth and firmness, rubbing against him, pulling him back every time he pulls away. The cacophony of moans, no doubt audible for several yards, was nonetheless a delightful relief to the pent-up rito. He cherished the soft, supple thighs under his firm grip, dragging his hands further down to secure a better hold on the traveler’s hips, his own grinding into them with fervor.

The boy’s face was contorted into the most addicting expression of pleasure, redder than a hearty radish with his hair askew, eyes glazed over in lust. Panting like a bitch in heat, arching at every little touch, it was clear he’d been rather pent-up.

Kass was able to relate to the boy all too well in that regard, having himself had rather little company while on his own venture. His pants grew tighter as the hero’s eyes screwed shut, forcing his hips back unto the bard’s, pressing into each thrust, hungrily digging for any extra sensation he could possibly get from the encounter. He wanted-nay, **needed** this more than anything else in the moment.

The bard was rather happy to oblige, quickly tugging down the hero’s trousers, then unbuttoning his own. He gripped his shaft, already stiff from the boy’s ministrations, leaning forward to rut against the soft skin below him. Blue eyes greeted him, their suggestive allure pulling him closer, making him grip the boy-no, he’d already forgone the other formalities-Link’s waist, pulling him closer against his arousal, shuddering and gasping at the increase in friction.

The boy whined in the most _delectable_ way when he did that, pulling Kass closer for a sloppy kiss, fueled by lustful whim, that left the pair gasping and panting against each other. This spurred Kass on and he went lower, kissing the hero’s neck, nipping his collarbone, and teasing his chest before settling on the boy’s own rigid length, or rather, what lay below.

He prodded at the hero’s entrance with his tongue, earning a stifled gasp from Link in return. He lapped at the hero’s walls, lubing him up with his own saliva, tasting and teasing the boy, eventually replacing his tongue with his fingers, the digits scissoring the boy, gently stroking against his prostate. He worked the boy to the edge, loosening him up and pulling out just before the other could reach climax. Link pouted at this, whining and pushing himself back against Kass, demanding his ministrations return to their former task.

“All will come in good time, my dear hero,” he whispered breathlessly into Link’s ear, aligning himself with the boy’s hole, “Then again, time can go fuck itself for making me wait like this.”

He slowly pushed into the hero, savoring his gentle gasps as he let him adjust to the girth of Kass’s shaft. After roughly 40 seconds of easing in and letting Link adjust, he began to thrust, gently, struggling to hold back against his own raging lust.  
“Goddess you’re simply _heavenly_ , hero,” He breathed, gently tugging the boy’s earlobe, enjoying the sudden clench he gave as he did so. “No wonder half of Hyrule wants you…”

The boy moaned in response, silently goading the bard on, creating a steady increase in his pace. The bard's heart raced as he pumped into the traveler, taking in every movement, every sound. His hands rose to meet the blonde's chest, pinching and teasing his delicate frame, groaning into his neck as he did so.

"We should have done this sooner. Fuck Amali, fuck everything. You're such a damn  _tight_  little fuck..." The Rito let out a few more lewd comments about his partner, words intoxicating and dripping with sex. "Nh... Goddess you're so fucking  _tight_."

Link’s skin grew impossibly more flushed at this, his fluster growing more evident with the hardness of his member. He started rutting against the rito, matching his thrusts and pushing him deeper into his depths. In response, he strengthened his movements, rutting him like an animal and snapping his hips against the boy’s rear, digging with each push, relishing in the sensation. The hero would probably have difficulty with walking straight for a few days, not that he minded.

The bard was in a haze, the tightness of the hero- _his_ hero-was so enticing, he needed **more**. He leaned back, pulling Link over top of him, the position change allowing him to reach a certain spot in his lover, making him scream. The clenching around his member was enough to push him to the limit, something snapping in him as he thrust into Link with the reckless abandon of a lynel in heat.

His animalistic and brutal assault had the youth crying out at the top of his lungs. If Link didn’t talk often before, he _definitely_ wouldn’t be after this. His direct attack on the boy’s prostate pushed them both to their climaxes. Kass pushed the hero to the ground, fucking him as deep as he could manage, bruising his hips with the effort. He let out a roar as he pistoned his seed into the hero, filling and then overfilling him, pulling out and letting the remainder defile the fair youth.

Link, in turn, came over his own chest and stomach, eyes rolling back as he let loose one last scream of ecstasy, shaking and tearing up with the intensity of his own orgasm.

The effort had visibly drained him, eyes growing heavy as he collapsed on top of the bulk of muscle and feathers, quickly being secured by a sturdy pair of limbs. He hummed with the bard’s comforting embrace, warm wings holding the boy close to him, chuckling to himself at the way his hair had come loose enough to pose a nuisance to his vision and the way the youth let out a little poof of air in an attempt to move it.

Kass smoothed the pesky strands back into place, pulling Link’s face close to his for one more kiss, the intensity less so with the appeasement of their lusts.

“That was simply wonderful,” he whispered to a drowsy Link, pulling him close as they dozed off together.

He'd almost managed about his wife and children.

Almost.


	2. Recollections, The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass recalls the first major upset in his marriage, as well as his first lover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there y'all, forget what I said about minor spoilers, this is going to contain MAJOR SPOILERS for the game. Another thing to note, I've decided to make this a two-part chapter instead of one continuous wall of text. I'll either upload the rest tonight or tomorrow, depending on how not-shitty I can manage to make my writing by the end of the night.  
> Also, BIRD SEX!  
> Kind of.

He awoke with a start, heart racing with the recollections of what he’d just done. He’d betrayed his wife, taken advantage of the champion knight, defiled the goddess’s sacred hero, broken his vows… What was he thinking? He had a family to think of, for Hylia’s sake; a life. Was this really something he’d be willing to throw away? And for what, a quick fuck in the woods? Had this really been worth it? How would he be able to look Amali in the eye, knowing what he’d done, what he’d said?

He looked down at the sleeping youth in his arms, considering his options and their ramifications at this juncture. It wouldn’t just be his reputation on the line, but Link’s as well. The only remaining Champion, having endured so much already, only to be taken down by an adulterous bard’s inhibitions. No. He couldn’t do this to the boy,  _ wouldn’t _ do it to him. 

His wife, however, was another story. Amali was understanding, yes, but even she had her limits, this act far overstepping her boundaries. They’d already had their fair share of quarreling, first at Kass’s strange detachment on their wedding night, again when he’d only drifter further after the birth of their children. They had only recently managed to pull together before he left to fulfill his promise to his dying teacher, another hurdle they’d only barely overcome. It wasn’t that he wished to upset his wife, quite the opposite, keeping his distance for her betterment.

He knew that if he let his guard down for even a brief moment around her, he risked everything they’d worked to build together. One slip of the tongue, one misstep and everything would come crashing to the earth around them. He had to keep his moves calculated; never getting too close to make mistakes, but never straying too far as to cause harm. He wanted Amali to be happy, yes, but he also wanted his insecurities to himself. He feared these latest developments had pushed him too far away from his wife, the sudden departure would arouse her suspicions once more, she would ask questions upon his return, something he’d managed to postpone with his discovery of the Champion’s relics.

He wanted Amali to be happy. He wanted to please her, to be the perfect husband and father, the man she thought she’d married those few years ago. He remembered the look in her eyes, so vibrant and full of life. She’d married the man of her dreams, strong, kind, peaceful Kass, who sang sweet melodies at the gates of Rito Village, serenading the guards and tourists alike. He’d been a gentle soul, content with the life he lead, grateful to his mentor for all he’d been taught. He’d often gaze upon the guardian of their land, the Divine Beast Vah Medoh, in thanks and amazement; he’d been told by the elderly Sheikah that it had originally been constructed by an ancient tribe of his own people, granted to the Rito as a gift for the oncoming battle for Hyrule. Now, however, it sat as a monument to the fallen Champion, Revali, in the last battle against the scourge upon their land, as did all of the beasts, now naught but massive tombs to their deceased pilots.

He remembered the way a particular guard managed to catch his eye, a warrior-in-training as well as a relative to the Great Champion Revali, a fact he took pride in, solemn as he may have been. He’d said his name was Teba. He had a way about him, a sort of rough charm. He’d been the best archer of the fleet, his proficiency with a bow outclassed only by the Champion he idolized. As he rose through the ranks, his devotion to practice rose with him. He spend less and less time patrolling the town entrance, honing his skills at the Flight range instead. With this, Kass found himself occasionally venturing out into the Hebra Mountains, making up and excuse about the acoustics of the area as justification for his travels. He struck up idol banter with the warrior, or at least, he tried. Though the first few attempts had rewarded him with nothing but a wall of silence and disappointment, he managed to get Teba to at least nod in acknowledgement of his presence. The one-sided chatter eventually became slightly less one-sided conversations, gradually shaping themselves into pleasant banter as the rito managed to crack through his interest’s tough exterior. Kass frequented the Flight Range more often, sometimes leaving his accordion behind, instead bringing with him some hearty salmon as a snack for his companion.

Then he stopped visiting the Flight Range for a while.

He’d seen the other rito walking around with a striking young woman, Saki, as he later learned, her crest shown with a few white feathers braided in, no doubt a sign of Teba’s proposal. She was a curvaceous rito, her colorful plumage accenting her figure nicely, feathers glimmering in the morning sun. She was everything a man could want, she was kind, mild-mannered, an  _ excellent _ cook, truly a perfect match for Teba. Kass shouldn’t have been surprised, she’d had her eye on the warrior for a while, giving subtle and not-so-subtle hints every now and then, leaving little trinkets at his windowsill, brewing him chilly elixirs for the rare diplomatic trips to Eldin Canyon and the Gerudo Desert, cooking for him when he was ill. Things Kass could never do for him, lest he make his affections obvious. He gradually distanced himself from Teba, letting himself garner the attention of a young Amali.

That was a mistake. Everything with Amali had been a mistake.

Their relationship had started out wonderfully, Kass playing her favorite ballads, catching her hearty salmon from the nearby ponds, picking her a bouquet of her favorite flowers, not stopping his search until he managed to find the elusive Silent Princess near a strangely overgrown bud. She’d baked him salmon mueniére, his favorite meal, as well as helping him decipher lyrics to the ancient rhymes his mentor had gifted him with. They’d been happy together, at least,  _ she _ had been happy.

Teba was always in the back of his mind, every time he saw the rito flying off to the Flight Range, a bundle of pink feathers braided into his own, he couldn’t help but envy the rito who’d managed to steal Teba,  _ his _ Teba, away from him. Every time Saki would preen over how he’d managed to hit three targets dead-on in a few mere seconds, every time she spoke of his dedication to the bow, every time she visited. 

The visits. The visits were the worst, acting as though all was right with the world while he and his (recently engaged) fiancée partook in the most  _ delightful _ conversations about how they’d both been so lucky to get such wonderful guys. He gritted his beak as he smiled politely, excusing himself from the hut every so often to clear his head before returning to his facade, assuring his partner and their guest that everything was fine. He’d make some meat stew with the game Saki brought from Teba’s latest hunts, serving it with a smile to his partner when the visits were over. Sometimes he’d fly off and practice in conveniently vague locations, returning puffy-eyed with a hoarse voice, blaming it on allergies.

And then he was married. The ceremony had gone off without a hitch, he’d gifted his wife with a hearty salmon from the peaks of Hebra Mountain, braving the fierce colds to find the fattest specimen. He’d offered it to her as the sun set on Revali’s Landing, she, in turn, tenderized it through the night, preparing it for their wedding feast the next day. Her parents were the only ones to visit, his own sending their regards from their stations in Hyrule Ridge. They’d been very kind people, offering to help Kass with the decorum, which he politely declined until he noticed he’d managed to tie himself into the goddess statue’s laurel. The meal had been wonderful, the recital of their marriage vows had gone without a hitch, the songs they exchanged had been executed stunningly, and they’d celebrated one last night before they were officially betrothed.

This was where they hit their first problem of many.

Kass was drunk. He’d never been this drunk in his life, and he regretted everything. He was tired, he was alone, he was cold. He should have listened to the Gerudo they’d hired, Furyosa? Fursola? Furosa, that was her name, he should have listened to Furosa when she advised him to take a break. Fuck he was tired. He noticed Saki was home alone tonight, weaving a basket for her husband’s next hunt.

_ Wait… If Saki’s here, then Teba must be at the Flight Range, right? I’ll pay him a little visit, we can reconnect, it’s been a while. I miss Teba. Why’d I stop talking to him again? Oh yeah, his face was hot and his wife got it. She shouldn’t have taken his face. That wasn’t very kind of her. She should give it back. I want his face, it’s a nice face. What the hell would I do with someone else’s face, though? _

These and many more incoherent thoughts stumbled about in the Rito’s head as he stumbled himself to the Flight Range, on foot rather than flying. He was comfortable enough with the area to get to the training grounds without too much trouble, upsetting a Bokoblin or two when he tripped his way through their camp, shouting an old tavern song at the top of his lungs, earning himself a swift smack to the ribs, knocking the wind out of him and leaving a nasty bruise and gash to match. He was too sloshed to notice as he got up and trudged through the snow, shaking his head as the world slowly stopped spinning. He made a few choice gestures to the runts, scaring them off with his large stature and booming voice. He arrived at the Flight Range shortly thereafter, beaten and weary, to a rather surprised looking Teba.

“Hello, you, you uh, Teba, Hello Teba, your wife needs to give back yer face ‘cuz it’s a good face ya’ know? It’s pretty rude to take a face from someone like that, no warning, nothin’,” He rambled on about a few other things, something about quiet ladies being the reason he couldn’t get a  **real** job, pausing when he noticed the way the other rito stared at him, “What, h’v I got sum’thin on my face? Why’re ya’ lookin’ at me like that…?”

“Kass, uh, great to see you too buddy, how about you lie down for a minute while I get some gauze.”  
“Gauze? Why th’ FUCK do I need Gauze? I ain’t no Gibdo piece of shit. I’m a MAN god dammit, I make fuckin’ STEW, like a-” The snow-white rito cut him off.

“While I don’t doubt your, um, manly cooking, you seem to have taken a nasty blow there. I don’t think-”

“HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY MANLY COOKING! I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW MY MANLY COOKING IS THE BEST MANLY THING SINCE- wait... no, nevermind, you meant the bokoblin, yeah, he whacked me w’th a stick so I punched ‘im with my man-fists.”

“Yes, your man fists, lovely.” The warrior cleaned the wound, putting some padding over the injury before wrapping the gauze around the larger, much more drunk, rito.

“You know, you do injured-helpin’ stuff pretty good, Teba.”

“Thank you, Kass.”

“You do a lotta stuff really good.”

“I’m glad you think that.”

“I can’t do as much stuff as good as you. Can’t even get married as good as you did, come t’ think ‘bout it.”

“Of course you can. Just give it some ti-” He was cut off by a large wing holding his arm.

“Teba, d-dya kiss as good as th’ other stuff?”

“Kass you’re drunk.”

“Come ooon Teba, please? For good ol’ Kassy? I promise I’ll play you a song…” The larger rito started to pull the other closer, “I’ll make you feel real good, better than she can.”

“Kass…” Teba shuddered as Kass started to drag his beak down along the other’s neck, groaning into his muscular figure as he pulled the smaller man onto his lap. He sloppily pushed his beak against the warrior’s, tonguing his mouth with desperation before parting.

“Fuck I’ve wanted t’ do this fer so long…” He moaned as he whispered into Teba’s ear, muttering sweet nothings as he confessed every feeling he’d ever had towards the other man. Every lonely night, every jealous glance, every surprise visit. Everything. It all came out in a drunken stupor, the information barely registering in Teba’s mind as his childhood friend groped and ground into his body, holding him close and taking what he wanted. He was overwhelmed by the feeling, torn between the incredible sensation and the revelations that continued to flow from Kass’s beak and the sense of betrayal as he went along with his friend’s drunken escapade, forgetting his own wife in the heat of the moment.

“Kass, p-please, ah, don’t stop, keep doing that-that thing, right there, oh fuuuck...” He let out a moan as his friend palmed him through his trousers, his throbbing erection leaking through the fabric. He felt Kass’s own bulge grinding against his, blushing at the thought of what would come next, eagerly anticipating the-

“ **KASS WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!?** ”

Amali stormed into the room, screaming as Teba shoved himself off of the drunk, mind clearing with the realization of what he’d just done.

“Kass, tell me right  **fucking now** , what the FUCK were you just doing?”

“Amali, he’s just drunk, he was injured and he must have thought it was you tending to his woun-”

“Teba don’t give me that shit. I  _ know _ damn well who he thought it was. I should have known, ‘It’s the acoustics in the mountains, they’re

“Amali.”

“‘-just wonderful’, ‘No it’s coincidence that it just happens to be where the neighbor’s FUCKING HUSBAND-’”  
“Amali!”

“‘-is ALWAYS PRACTICING’, ‘I just needed some fresh air, the forest is a nice place to relax with my music’, I should have known. How long have you two been-”

“ **AMALI!** ” His sudden outburst managed to shock her into silence. “Amali, calm down and  _ think _ about what you’re saying. Kass is clearly devoted to  _ you _ . He respects you, he wants only the best for you. He wrote a  _ song _ for you when you were courting. Why would he waste that all for an affair with the neighbor’s husband?”

Kass started to come to his senses, dazed from the fall, his vision twisting in odd directions. He made out Teba shouting at someone,  _ Odd, Teba doesn’t get worked up like that. _ He wondered what could have the man so upset until he noticed his-

“Amali? Hey honey, what’re you doin’ here? Did you come to get me back so we can f-” He remembered what he’d just been caught doing, “Fffforge our wedding bands to compleshun back in th’ vill-ge?”

She stood in silence for a moment, looking first to Teba, who merely crossed his arms, then to Kass, who smiled sheepishly, “...Yes, Kass. Let’s go home. Teba, I trust I won’t hear of this from Saki.” She collected her husband from the floor, slinging him over her shoulder.

Teba just watched as Kass silently pleaded with him from over his wife’s back, the first of many looks he’d learn to ignore as he returned to his practice, arms shaking as he took to the updraft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kass you precious child I'm so sorry to put you through this but I NEED IT. Oh, and Teba stuff is going to get pretty heavy in the next chapter, as well as spoilers.  
> Also, MORE BIRD SEX!  
> For sure this time!


	3. An old Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass reflects on the time he went to buy wheat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy hey my guys, guess what chapter DOESN'T have shameless smut in it? Don't worry I promise the next one will.   
> SPOILER ALERT FOR LATER CHAPTERS BELOW:  
> Anyways, I'm gonna change this to a more Kass/Teba thing because Link really isn't anything of significance to Kass outside of a friend/one (maybe two?) night stand. Also, to clear up any inconsistencies: Kass hasn't been entirely faithful to Amali, but the reason he's so upset with Link in particular is because, well, yeah. Link doesn't really serve as a romantic interest for Kass.  
> SPOILERS OVER  
> Now that that's out of the way, get ready for some oddly-side-quest-like action up in this bitch.  
> I would also like to state that I am unsatisfied by how AO3 takes my 3-5 pages and turns them into 2.

It had been a year since the incident at the Flight Range. Teba had settled down, easing up on his practice in favor of raising his newly hatched son with his wife. Kass’s relationship with Amali had regained its footing, the latter now a proud mother-to-be of a healthy clutch of six. He looked forward to their hatching day, daydreaming about the pitter-patter of little talons racing up and down the spiralling structures of the village. He was as anxious as he was eager, simultaneously fretting over the temperature of the eggs, whether or not the eggs would even hatch, if he would be a good father, how many sons he would get, if any at all, the worries nearly outweighed the hopes.

“We’re running low on wheat.” His wife’s voice managed to rouse him from his thoughts.

“I’ll run to the Slippery Falcon and buy a few bushels. How long do you think we can manage to hold out with 30?”

“They’re fresh out.”

“What do you expect me to do, then?”

“I don’t know; we just need wheat,” his wife replied, droning on with more items they’d been running low on as of late, “And butter, eggs, raw meat, goats milk… Oh! And swift carrots. I’ve been craving those again…”

“Wait, let me guess, the Falcon’s out of all of those, too, right?”

“Not eggs or butter, but everything else, yes.”

He sighed, rubbing his temples as he struggled to come up with a response. It had been like this between them for a few days now, him taking on his wife’s chores as well as his own, even standing (well, sitting, really.) in for her, on occasion, when they needed her in the infirmary. It wasn’t that he was upset with her, far from it, she  _ had _ been confined to the house for three days, he was just a little weary after trudging through the work of two people. His teacher hadn’t been making things any easier, either, having Kass memorize maps of obscure locations in Hyrule, places where hidden shrines supposedly dwelled, according to legend passed on by his ancestors and those before them.

“I’ll go down and get the eggs and butter for now. As for the rest, I’ll see what I can do,” He called out, descending the spiralling staircase surrounding the village, pausing before adding, “Love you!”

 

A few minutes and several stairs later…

 

“I’m so sorry Kass, our next shipment won’t be for at least a month. Supplies have been ready, but nobody’s been around to deliver… The guards are too busy with the latest bokoblin shenanigans, the innkeepers went off to Zora’s Domain to celebrate their anniversary, and the other shopkeepers have been filling in for the Guards lately… The only Rito I can think of with the free time to help me out here would be you, Harth, or Teba, but you’ve been busy helping Amali, Harth has been who-knows-where, and Teba… Teba’s a little intimidating, to tell the truth.” Misa frowned, looking worse-for-wear. It was true, there were quite a few obstacles on the route to Serrene Stable, their usual bartering post. It was a path only the most daunting explorers would dare travel, usually Rito, what with their ability to simply fly over the canyon separating them from the rest of Hyrule. “I don’t know about Harth, but I’m sure Teba would be up to the challenge, if you’d be willing to help me out here.”

“Of course I’ll help. I’m sure I can manage on my own, how hard could it be?” Kass replied, already planning out the simple path.  _ Over the canyon, cross a few fields, and bam, Serrene St- _

“Well, you’ll need to bring this wagon with you, for starters, that being the primary reason I haven’t asked before now.” She gestured to an old-looking, large, canvas cart, wide enough to be escorted by two Clydesdales and large enough to hold a month’s supplies for the entire village. “There’s room inside for four passengers plus storage, so you’ll certainly have enough room between you. The old man who gave it to my grandfather said something about the canvas absorbing sound, so it’ll at least keep you out of monster’s way. The horses are out back, I can saddle them up while you gather Teba and Harth.”

There was  _ always _ a catch.

“I’ll be on my way then--Oh, and before I forget, could I bother you for some eggs and butter? We’re running a bit low at home,”

“Of course. This is about the last of my stock, so be careful with it now.” She gave the bard a stack of butter and a basket of eggs as he handed her a small pouch of rupees.

“Keep it. I’ll be owing you for the delivery anyways,” She said, refusing the pouch, handing it back to him while pushing him through the door. “And don’t forget to collect Teba and Harth!” 

“You know I won’t!” He called over his shoulder, already halfway to deliver the news to his wife. He’d give her the butter and eggs and be on his way to the Flight Range for the first time in a good while, then onward to wherever Harth could be. His only concern was how to break the news to his wife.  _ Hopefully Amali will understand… _

“You’re doing  _ WHAT? _ ”

“Honey it’ll only be two week’s journey, I’ll be right back!” He’d delicately explained the situation to his wife, skimming over the details of his travel companions, and was now delicately  _ re _ -explaining the situation to her, careful to remind her of how he was only doing this because  _ she _ had sent him out for groceries. “We’ll be on our way back before you know it, sooner if the goddess favors us. Besides, it’s something that will better the entire community, you know that.”

“I know, I know, it’s for the betterment of the people and all that, but… but you can’t just leave me here!”

“It won’t just be you. You’ll have Saki and Huck to help out, and Misa has agreed to have her son, Fyson, cook for you while I’m away. You’ll be in good hands, I’ve made sure of it.”

“Kass, it’s not that I doubt the my friends or their ability to properly care for someone. I don’t want to be left without  _ you _ . Not now,” She looked up at him, a pained expression on her face, “Not when I need you most.”

“Oh Amali…” He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t just tell her she’d be fine without him, he knew it wasn’t true. She’d be worried, with no way of knowing when or if her husband would be coming back, whether or not her children would have their father present for their hatching. The recent rise in monster populations had everyone on edge, paths that were once safe to travel were now some of the most dangerous. He knew Amali loved him too deeply to see him hurt or worse. He leaned down to her level, holding her forehead to his beak. “I promise I’ll come back as soon as I can. I’ll come back and I’ll make your favorite creamy vegetable soup, just the way you like it. We’ll have a nice meal, relax, and celebrate as soon as I get back. Okay?”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

And with that, he was on his way to the flight range.

 

“No.” The reply came flat and adamant. He wasn’t going to risk being in close quarters for an extended period of time with the Rito, not after what had nearly happened last time. Even if the other  _ had _ been drunk, even if he really had just been spouting nonsense the entire time, he wasn’t risking his marriage for it. Not for Kass.

“Teba the village needs us to do this. Besides, it’s your duty as the Warrior of the Rito do do the best for your people,” He refused to let up, eyes locked on Teba’s, there was no way he would take no for an answer. “You took the oath. Nothing surmounts the will of your people, Teba. Not even the will of the Goddess herself.”

“...” The warrior simply turned away, already knowing what would come next.

“Teba, at least do it for me.” He gazed longingly at the warrior, pleading with his eyes for any sort of reply. It was an all-too-familiar sight to Teba, one he had hardened himself to.

“Kass, I said no, and that’s final.”

“Teba, don’t be like this. It’s for  _ them _ , your people,  **our** people. We owe it to them,” He paused, mulling over his next words carefully, “I know what happened before was a mistake. I fucked up. I was drunk, confused, anxious, I didn’t know what I was-”

“YOU HAVE THE  **NERVE** TO CALL WHAT HAPPENED A MISTAKE?” Teba snapped, “ **Mistakes** are forgetting you left your fish in the sun,  **mistakes** are forgetting to tune your bow before a hunt.  **THIS** -” He gestured between them, “Was something that should never have even fucking come  **close** to what it did. You’re right, Kass. You fucked up. You fucked up and I got pulled down because of it. You should be  **grateful** that Amali didn’t spill to the entire village and tell them what kind of a… what kind of a  **FREAK** you are.”

Kass was shaking at this point, close to tears. He was making the same face he’d made the night of the incident, pleading for Teba to go with him. The thought only got him more worked up, his rage boiling over as he continued.

“I have to lie with my wife  **EVERY FUCKING NIGHT** with the thought of what you did in the back of my mind. I can’t even look at my  **son** without feeling guilty. Next time you start to feel ‘confused’ go find someone else’s life to fuck with, because I’m  **done** with your sorry ass.” He stopped when he noticed Kass was no longer looking at him, no longer visibly upset, even. The bard seemed to be looking at something in the distance, just over the ridge of the Flight Range.

“What? Didn’t I make myself clear?  **Get out** . Get out and go pester someone else with your stupid delivery-boy shit.” When Kass still didn’t respond, he turned to look at what Kass was focused on, a familiar dark figure picking through the remains of a fallen pine, inspecting the bundles of wood they’d collected with scrutiny.

While Teba’s initial reaction was one of paranoia, whoever was up there had probably heard him rant about his worst secret, he relaxed once he saw that they didn’t even seem aware of where they themself were going, focusing on the sticks they’d gathered. They seemed to be appraising the wood so far, flexing it to its limit and back again, checking its weight, etc. It was rather similar to how one would test the materials for a bow. In fact, now that he looked closer, they looked a lot like...

“Teba is that who I think it is?” Kass suddenly ran off in the direction of the dark silhouette, all thoughts of Teba’s rant in the back of his mind, shouting, “HARTH, HEY HARTH! I NEED YOU FOR SOMETHING!”

The figure, Harth, apparently, paused, looking up in surprise at the large Rito chasing him down, then annoyance as he recognized his pursuer. They appeared to engage in some sort of conversation, Kass exclaiming something while gesticulating wildly. Harth nodded along, apparently agreeing to whatever Kass had suggested, likely something to do with the errand he’d requested of Teba.

He shook his head, amazed at how the overgrown hatchling had gone from the verge of bawling to excited at the tip of a feather like that. He’d forgotten how easily his fr- how easily his  _ neighbor _ could go from up to down and vice versa. It was childish, really. A little endearing, but still childish. He returned to his practice, imagining the targets as a certain feathered someone, every shot a bullseye.

As he packed his things to return to the village, he suddenly realized what they could have been discussing. Panic once more overtook him as he hurriedly stashed his arrows into their quiver before taking off, using the updraft to hasten his travel back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well now whatever could Kass and Harth possibly be planning? I'm certain such shining examples of moral impeccability would never stoop as low as Teba thinks they will...


	4. Pain and Peril

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey begins on a sour note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I know I promised you all sex this time, but the chapter started getting really long so I decided to cut it off here. I might not have any smut next chapter and it's going to get really sad, but there will be bird booty action at some point.

“KASS WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” A snow-white Rito came crashing down onto Revali’s Landing, panting with the effort it had taken to reach the village in such a short amount of time.

“He’s down at the Falcon, if you need him, mister,” A concerned looking boy helped him up, “Are you okay? You shouldn’t try and land with your face.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Thanks.” Teba brushed himself off, rushing to the falcon, praying to the Goddess that Kass wasn’t about to do what he thought he was going to.

“KASS I’LL GO”

The bard looked down at him in confusion, halfway through getting his trunk into the wagon, “What are you-”

“Kass, I’ll go. I’ll do whatever your stupid delivery thing is, you don’t need to do this,” He looked rather upset, continuing, “Whatever you’re planning, please don’t do it. I’ll go along with you, I’m  _ already _ going along with you. There’s no need.”

“Teba I have no idea-” He was again cut off by the Rito’s ranting.

“I’ll pack my things, I’ve already got my hunting gear, I can get my hammock and some flint from the hut. I’ve got some bundles of wood I can bring as well, if you need them, just  _ please _ don’t do what you’re going to. I’ll polish the damn wheels if I have to.”

“Teba…” He was growing concerned. First the warrior had been shouting at him, screaming for him to leave. Now here he was, grovelling on his hands and knees, begging for Kass to not do something. What, exactly, he wasn’t completely sure of just yet, but it seemed rather important to Teba at the moment.

“Kass, I’m sorry about what I said, let’s just let bygones be bygones and move on, okay buddy? Pal? Friend of mine?  _ Please _ don’t tell Saki, I’ll even let you do the-”

“Why would I tell Saki we were bringing Mazli in your place?”

“What do you mean, Mazli…?” Teba looked up at him, confused; hadn’t they been on their way to disclose his affair? His betrayal to his people? Wasn’t that what this was about?

“You didn’t seem to want to come along, so we were going to bring Mazli. I mean, he’s not as great with a bow, nor as good at hand-to-hand, but he’d do in a pinch. Besides, you have to stay here and help Saki. You said so yourself.” The Bard shrugged, returning to toiling over his trunk before turning back to Misa, confirming that the horses had indeed been bridled properly and that their inventory was set before turning back to Teba, “I mean, if you want to come, be my guest. I’m sure Mazli wouldn’t mind.”

“I- you- what- I thought-” He was struggling to register what he’d just heard, opting instead to just go with it. “Sure.”

“So I take it you’ll be going with them in my place?” The younger Rito’s voice startled Teba, so unlike the rest of him. His voice was deep and daunting, not something you’d expect from the quiet, forgettable-looking Guard. “I don’t mind, I’ll just need to get my bag out of the back.”

“I guess I will,” Teba replied, relieved to be safe from the threat of the obloquy his wife’s wrath would no doubt bring upon him. At the same time, a building anxiety took place in his gut. He’d have to spend at least two weeks in the same cart as Kass with only one other person for company. After the way he’d treated his former friend, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the trip. “Just give me a minute to gather some supplies for the road.”

“I’ll be on my way then. Thanks for doing this, Teba. You’re an alright guy.” The younger Rito looked up at him with a smirk, “For an old-timer, that is.”

“Watch it, kiddo, I’m barely three years older than you are,” He teasingly prodded the other in the ribs, earning a hearty laugh in response. “But I’m sure the town will be safe in the hands of a whipper-snapper like you.” He chuckled to himself, walking up to his hut to gather supplies and break the news to Saki.

Kass, in the meanwhile, was learning to lead the horses along the trail, or rather,  _ Harth _ was learning to lead the horses; Kass was too afraid of the lumbering beasts to get within a wingspan, let alone handle their reigns. It was a rather comical sight, the largest Rito of the three the most timid around the gentle giants while the smallest managed to control them without hesitation in the slightest. While Harth helped Kass overcome his fear of their drivers, Misa offered him the reins, showing him how to hook them to the harness, how to steer, slow down, speed up, as well as how to unhook everything for the evening to let the horses rest. She showed them the interior of the wagon, explaining the various travel features, such as a lever that locked the wheels in place for rest periods, as well as a hidden door that accessed a hollow portion beneath the floor and just above the chassis designed to hide any precious cargo (or passengers) in event of a raid. She got halfway through telling them how to lower the chassis before opening the latch when they were interrupted by shouting from the third story, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground and breaking glass.

“Well I think she took that well,” Teba appeared a few moments later, seeming a tad out of breath, carrying a spear and a few bundles of supplies, “I’d say we’ve got about ten minutes before she finds another pot to throw. Anyone else up for leaving at the soonest possible opportunity? Because I’d really like to leave at the soonest possible opportunity.”

“I can’t say I have any objections to that.” Kass had seen what Saki could do in a rampage. He wasn’t about to become a witness to a homicide.

“Let’s get you going then,” Misa took the reins, leading them over the bridges that connected the spire to the rest of Tabantha, “Wouldn’t want to tempt fate.”

They were careful to keep the wagon perfectly centered on the bridge, never straying too close to the edges, lest they tilt and lose a perfectly good set of horses. And Rito.

“I’m still amazed that this bridge can hold all this weight,” Harth commented, steering the horses to the stable, “It’s really a marvel, to think a few wood planks and some chords can support us like this.”

“You’re going to jynx us if you keep talking like that,” Kass piped up, already made nervous by the horses, “I really don’t want to think about what would happen if this marvel suddenly stopped being so able to support us.”

Teba rolled his eyes at this. The worst that would happen would be them losing a perfectly good wagon and the horses driving it. They could fly, after all. And swim. He moved to the back of the wagon, watching the village wink out of sight as they passed behind a mountain. In a way, he was glad to be travelling. It had been a while since he’d left the village to go anywhere other than the Flight Range. He was looking forward to seeing the warm, sunny region of Hyrule Ridge instead of the gloomy, unending winter of the Hebra Mountains.

“Oh, Harth, I nearly forgot: The Great Bridge is out again, so we’ll need to go through the Tundra to get to Serenne.”

Nevermind. He was no longer looking forward to this. He was rather content to  _ not _ go back into the oppressive cold and gloom, thank you. He’d be internally kicking himself for not letting Kass take Mazli for the rest of this trip.

“So what are you doing back here?” Kass’s voice interrupted his thoughts, reminding him of  _ why _ he was stuck here in the first place.

“Regretting letting you rope me into this.” He spat, glaring up in annoyance at the blue ball of feathers.

“You volunteered to do this.”

“Only because I thought you were going to tell Kaneli that I was going back on my oath.”

“I almost wish I had,” The bard chuckled at the warrior’s annoyed expression. He looked like an infant who’d just bitten into a burnt apple for the first time.

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s very funny.”

“I’m going to throw you under the wheels.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

 

That night they set up camp in the Tabantha Village Ruins, one of the few areas not yet taken over by the growing monster population. Kass remembered the stories he’d heard about the events that lead to the destruction of the once bustling town. The Calamity had sent hordes of guardians into Tabantha, crushing and blasting their way through the local settlements. They’d killed hundreds of Rito and Hylians alike by the time the Princess had sealed enough of the Malice to stop them. It had been mostly children among the corpses, having clung to their parents side, screaming and crying in terror as the world around them was caught up in a blaze of blue beams and orange flames. His great grandmother had been one of the lucky ones, pulled from her mother’s side by a woman dressed in a dark blue cloth with white hair, leading a group of others like her. She’d been relocated to the village for safekeeping, one of the last Rito to make it before they undid the bridges holding the spires of rock together. A lone guardian remained, years of exposure to the elements having taken their toll on the automaton’s intricately designed hull. It was a grim reminder of the genocide that had been the Great Calamity.

Harth, however, saw it as a business opportunity.

“Hey, if we can pull off the headpiece, we can salvage some of the parts in this thing. They’ll fetch a pretty good price if we can sell them to a merchant at Snowfield Stable,” he called Kass over, “Think you could help me pull this thing off? It’s jammed or something. I can’t just twist it off.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kass warned, “You never know if that thing could still be active.”

“Okay mom, when’s the last time one of these things just started up and walking around, huh? Besides, this one doesn’t even have its legs left. We’ll be fine,” Harth mocked him, stopping when he noticed a small switch at the base of the firing point, “Here we go, just flip this and-”

The ancient mechanism’s headpiece came rocketing off, landing barely a foot away from Teba, who spat out his Noble Pursuit and screamed at the top of his lungs. Harth paid this no attention other than a laugh at the warrior’s expense, rooting through the piles of gears and springs before settling on a glowing yellow orb.

“Here we are, just the thing I was looking for. I’m surprised this thing’s core is still intact, usually they’re lost as soon as they shut down. Lucky us, amiright?” He offered the core to Kass, who shrunk away at the sight of it. He wasn’t comfortable handling something that had slaughtered an entire community. “These gears and shafts look like they’re still profitable, the springs seem like they’re brand new… I’d say we can expect a few hundred rupees for all of this.”

“You can carry them yourself, then. I’m not going anywhere near that… that  _ thing _ or anything that comes from it.” Kass grabbed the headpiece, putting it back into place when Harth had finished looting the corpse of the forgotten droid. “And for Hylia’s sake, stop kissing the core already!” He flung a snowball at the Rito, who grinned and gathered the parts into a sack before tossing them into the wagon.

Teba decided to hit the hay early, nearly being concussed by an old robot having shaken him up a bit more than he’d like to admit. Kass put out their campfire and hitched the horses to an old post for the night, keeping watch before swapping out with Harth. Instead of going to sleep, however, he went off into the mountains, claiming he was going to secure the perimeter, carrying a small bag of provisions and a feather’s edge. When Harth offered to help, Kass politely declined, stating that he’d be able to handle himself if things got hairy.

When he was sure he was alone, he unsheathed the blade, letting himself succumb to his demons as the dark droplets stained the pure white snow beneath him. Teba had been right, he was a freak. He was a fuck up. He was a failure. He let these thoughts wash over him, each one dripping away with his blood into the earth. He felt clean when he was done, as if the impure parts of his being had been soaked into the landscape, no longer a part of himself he had to worry over. The pain had been a nice release, as well. Something he could feel other than the crippling emptiness he’d grown far too accustomed to dealing with, something to fill the void. When he returned a few hours later, Harth had already fallen asleep, Teba taking his place and scanning the horizon for any possible threat.

“What took you so long?” The warrior asked, raising an eyebrow at the Rito’s stained blade.

“Just a Lizalfos ambush, nothing too bad. There were only two of ‘em to take care of, anyways.”

“Where are the horns?”

Kass froze, “What do you mean, the horns?”

“You always take the horns from lizalfos when you kill them. It’s the only way to keep them from coming back as stalizalfos.”

“I-I’m sure I’ve got them somewhere in my bag…” He stammered, searching through the pack for something close-enough in appearance to a horn, settling on an old moblin horn his wife had packed him. The grooves had been worn down enough for the structure to appear smooth, passing for a slightly elongated lizalfos horn. “U-um, here it is, just didn’t recognize it, the lizalfos here have weird, uh, horn shapes.”

“Whatever you say,” Teba decided to let Kass have this one, noticing a few red spots on his plumage, “Hey are you sure you didn’t get hurt or anything? There’s blood on your-”

“It’s probably just a scratch. Anyways, I’ve got to get some rest. All that fighting’s gotten me pretty tired.” He excused himself to his sector of the wagon, quickly pulling out a rag and cleaning himself and his blade up, knocking over his music case in the process. He cursed to himself, piling the sheets of ancient melodies back into place before returning to his rag, now besmirched with crimson. He’d need to be more careful next time, Teba was far more observant than Harth.

A knock at his door (he found it odd that there would be wooden doors in the wagon, it was far more spacious than it appeared) interrupted his efforts.

“Come in,” he replied without thinking, stumbling to put away the blade and rag just as Teba opened the door. “What can I do you for?”

“I just heard some tumbling and I wanted to be sure you were alright,” It was a partial truth, he’d been suspecting something else to have taken place, but everything looked to be in order. “Anyhow, uh, goodnight, I guess.”

“Goodnight to you, as well.” He waited for Teba to close the door before releasing the breath he’d been holding. He’d really need to be more careful.

 

The next morning, Kass awoke to the rumble of the wagon underneath his sleeping gear, the plush padding doing nothing to stifle the ache of sleeping on the floor in a cramped room, only 3’ by 7.5’. The room felt even smaller with his trunk at the base, constricting him to about 6 feet of stretching room. He’d have hated to be Teba, sleeping in one of the rooms meant for storage, only about 2’ by 6’. He’d wondered how he even managed to fit his bedroll into such a small space, let alone himself with it. The rumbling increased suddenly and Kass could just barely make out shouting from Teba.

“PUT IT DOWN ALREADY, THAT’S CLEARLY WHAT IT’S AFTER!”

“No way, do you have any idea how much this thing is worth?” That must have been Harth, defending his core.

“Oh, of course, I forgot that it was so valuable. I guess we’ll all just have to DIE FOR A HAND FULL OF RUPEES NOW WON’T WE?!”

“Come on, we can totally outpace it, Teba. Don’t be such a stick in the mud.”

The sound of beeping called Kass’s attention to the back viewing bench, choking on his own breath as he realized they were being pursued by a Guardian Stalker. He wasn’t sure why there was one so close to the village ruins, the closest stalkers he could recall having been in Hyrule Field. The beeping increased in frequency, Kass noting a small red beam aimed at the back of Teba’s skull. His eyes widened in horror as he watched the small aura of light slowly pulling into a focal point, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he pulled Teba to the ground seconds before a searing hot beam of light shot through the space he’d previously been occupying, Harth losing control of the reins in shock, the horses running off without the cart, harnesses loosened by Harth’s reckless steering.

Teba was frozen with fear, muttering to himself, “We’re going to die, oh goddess no we’re all going to die, Tulin’s not going to have a father and we’re going to die…”

Kass pulled him into the adjacent storage compartment, barking at Harth to lose the goddess-damned core already, hiding behind a curtain as the guardian’s sensor light probed the room through an open flap. Teba was gripping his arm, curled up against Kass in horror as the light passed over them both, pausing and scanning over them again as the Guardian readied another blast. Teba looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

“Kass, I don’t want to die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sorry at all for this cliffhanger. Get ready to C R Y.


	5. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a scare with a Guardian, Kass and Teba have some quality time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so obviously I wasn't going to kill off the main character, especially considering this was all in flashback, but I managed to fit in some fan service.

“I just want you to know that I-”

Teba was cut off as the Guardian’s beam reached full charge, then fired.

They didn’t even feel a thing.

Mostly because the Guardian had been aiming at Harth, but still, goddamn that was pretty close.

“Missed me ya hunk of scrap!” The blacksmith was flying above the machine, core clutched tightly in his left talon, luring it away from the caravan, “You want this so bad? Go and get it!” He hurled the glowing orb with all his might, watching as the Guardian followed suit, oblivious to the trap it had fallen into.

Kass heard a splash followed by an explosion, looking through the flap to see the Hebra Plunge greeting him. They must have been run off course in the chase, meaning they’d wasted half a day’s travel on outrunning the overgrown cannon. The horses were, luckily, unharmed, having only run a short distance to the Hebra Falls in their panic. As he checked the wagon for any major damages, Teba came storming out, marching straight for harth.

“What the  _ HELL _ were you  _ THINKING?! _ ” He gripped Harth by his collar, glaring daggers into his eyes, “You could have gotten us all  _ KILLED _ you fucking  _ MADMAN _ ! Some of us have FAMILIES to think of waiting back home!”

“Teba calm down, nobody died-” He was interrupted by a punch to the jaw from the raging warrior, followed by another to the ribs, and another to the face, and another, and another. The blows kept coming, Teba tearing into him with everything he had. When Harth collapsed, Teba pushed him into the ground, shaking him while screaming and crying, until Kass managed to pull him off of the bloodied Rito. He struggled against the bard, kicking and flailing for a good while before finally tiring. With what little strength he had left, he gave a final kick, more of a nudge, really, and passed out.

Kass looked over to the beaten rito in concern, “Harth are you-”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse before.”

“Aren’t you upset?”

“Nah, he’s right. It was stupid. I was being stupid. Just let him have his rest.”

Kass took Teba into the wagon as Harth started the campfire and fed the horses, taking care to measure out their rations before doing so. The rito packed quite a punch, as he had come to find out, leaving him with a black eye, cracked beak, and several bruised ribs. He made a makeshift ice pack with some snow and a canteen, using it to reduce the swelling of his… everything, really.

Inside of the canvas structure, Kass lit the lanterns in his room, opening a small vent to control the heat and airflow. He set Teba down gently onto his bedroll, the warrior being surprisingly heavy for such a small frame. He kept watch over the sleeping Rito, primarily to make sure he didn’t wake up and decide to finish what he’d started with Harth’s face. While he slept, Kass passed the time going over the mystery of the Forest Dragon, one of the songs his mentor had passed down to him, as well as the hint to the location of an ancient shrine.

“The Forest Dragon’s jaws, eh? What could that possibly mean?” He’d heard of the Thunder Spirit, Farosh, but he’d never heard of it flying low over the Faron Woods, let alone anything odd being in its mouth. He’d have to investigate the area himself someday, if he ever got the chance. It could be an interesting experience. He read over his music until late into the night, at which point Harth came in to rest, leaving Kass to the night shift.

“Your turn, bard boy.”

“I’m on it.”

The falls made for an eerie sight in the dark of the new moon. The water seemed to disappear into the icy mist, in inky blackness that contrasted with the dull glow of the icy ground, reflecting what little starlight there was. The campfire had gone out, apparently, leaving Kass to relight it with some of the spare flint Teba had brought with them. He struck it with his feathered edge, letting the sparks catch on the embers and fresh firewood. With the logs in the firepit having already been lit, he could skip the process of slowly building a bonfire, instead letting the heat from the still-glowing coals do the work. A few moments later he had a nice little blaze going, warming himself and lightening the mood of the area with the crackling of flames. While he toasted some acorns he’d found, Teba came out with a thick blanket and some spiked warm milk, silently offering both to the Rito.

“Harth put you up to this?”

“It’s called a thank-you, you know, for not letting me die by laser.”

“That’s odd, I seem to distinctly remember someone blaming me for roping them into this mess in the first place.”

Teba sighed, pinching his beak, “Okay, scoot.”

“What?” Kass was taken back a bit. Teba wasn’t one to use words like ‘scoot’ lightly.

“You heard me, scoot over.”

He did as he said, sliding over on the log. Teba plopped down next to him, wrapping them both in the blanket.

“Just what exactly are you getting at, here?” The bard raised a brow at the Rito’s behavior.

“It’s cold.”

“We have feathers.”

“Shut up, I said it’s cold.”

They sat like that for a while, watching the campfire and drinking together in silence, before Kass finally spoke.

“So, what was it you were going to say earlier?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, back when we were about to ‘die by laser’ as you so eloquently put it.”

“It was nothing,” he shook his head, “Just something stupid about always looking up to you.”

It was a partial truth.

“You just have such a great relationship with Amali, better than Saki and me, anyways. You never fight, you’re always together, hell, you’ve sat on the nest for her while she went out,” he said, “I wish I had that kind of relationship with Saki,  _ any _ relationship with her at this point.”

Kass looked down at him in confusion, “What are you talking about? You two are great together. I mean, you can both get a little violent at times, but you always seem to find a way to kiss and make up when it’s over. You’ve probably got the strongest marriage going in Hyrule.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Mr. Perfect-family.”

“Oh it’s far from perfect.”

“Really now? Is there trouble in paradise?”

“Teba, I hadn’t slept with my wife for eight months before she told me she wanted kids.”

“I didn’t think Amali would be one to hold out like that.”

“She isn’t.  _ I _ was the one holding out.” An uncomfortable silence enveloped the two.

“Oh.” He didn’t think Kass would be one to hold out, either. “So you’re saying you had the love of a woman like that and you didn’t go at it for eight months? Either you must be some kind of crazy, or I’ve gone deaf.”

“It’s not like I didn’t think about it, I just, I don’t know, it sounds ridiculous to say it out loud.”

“Nobody’s going to laugh at you, Kass. I mean, I might. A lot. But other than that, nobody’s gonna laugh. I promise.”

He took a deep breath, “I don’t think I love my wife.”

“You’re joking, right?” Teba looked up at him expectantly, waiting for a cocky smirk or some kind of punchline. “You do  _ know _ who you’re married to, right? She’s gotta be one of the most beautiful women in the world, and you’re telling me you aren’t into that?”

“I don’t really think I’m into women in general,” He felt the hot rush of shame running under his feathers. It was the first time he’d admit it aloud, the first time he’d admit it period. He hadn’t wanted it to be true. He’d spent so much time trying to be the perfect husband, Amali’s perfect husband, trying to make her happy, trying to make himself happy. He’d always told himself that that was love, putting on a smile for someone else even when you wanted to just break down and cry.

“But you had… She’s waiting for her eggs to hatch… How did you...?” Teba was struggling to connect the pieces of the puzzle, “You just said you slept with your wife.”

“It wasn’t exactly my proudest moment. I had to get her to agree to going at it in the dark.” He elaborated when he saw Teba’s expression of disbelief, “Not that I hired someone else to, um,  _ service _ Amali in my place. I just couldn’t bring myself to look at what I was doing.”

Things started to click into place. The eagerness to leave the village, the way he’d looked when he refused to join him, like someone had wrenched his heart out and stomped on it. He recalled the night of Kass’s wedding, the way he’d looked at him, not with a drunken lust, but the way Teba had looked at Saki before Tulin was born. The things Kass had told him that night, of how he’d only practiced at the flight range for an excuse to see him, that he’d wanted to do what they nearly did that night for years. It was too much to take in at once, everything he thought he knew about his friend, he wasn’t even sure if he  _ was _ just a friend anymore.

“I don’t think I can do this right now.” He took a shaky breath, getting up and grabbing his pack.

“Teba, what are you doing?” Kass went to follow, dropping the blanket in the snow.

“I don’t think I can do  _ this _ right now,” he gestured between the two of them, “I need a drink. Don’t wait up.”

“Teba, I-”

“Don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear you right now. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to feel you, I don’t want to know you.” He cringed at the way he sounded, opening his beak to correct himself, voice dying in his throat when he saw Kass’s pained expression.

“I understand.” The bard had tears in his eyes as he trudged off to the wagon, leaving Teba with nothing but his thoughts and his liquor.

 

_ Drip _

He was a freak.

_ Drop _

He was a fuck up.

_ Drip _

Telling him was a mistake.

_ Drop _

**He** was a mistake.

He cleaned the blade, tossing the rag back into his trunk without bothering to clean the blood from his feathers. He didn’t deserve to be clean. He didn’t deserve to hide his injuries, after all, he’d been the one to inflict them. He didn’t deserve to cry.

_ Drip _

The pools of red spread under his feathers.

_ Drop _

He took his knife back out.

_ Drip _

He was tired.

_ Drop _

So tired.

_ Drip _

There was just one thing left to do.

_ Drop _

He steeled himself as he lowered the blade to his arm, one clean slice down the middle would be all it too-

“Kass?”

Teba pushed open the door, worried the bard had taken what he’d said the wrong way. He hadn’t meant for what he’d said to come out that way.

“Look man, I’m sorry about what I said earl…” He stopped in his tracks, looking down at Kass, the knife, and the blood. He didn’t speak as he took the blade, leaving the room and returning with two towels and a bucket of warm water. He carefully cleaned the blood from his friend’s forearm, applying pressure to his injuries with the second towel. He pulled the bard close when he was done, cradling his upper body and stroking his crest while he let tears stain his cheeks.

They sat like that for a while, Kass crying in Teba’s arms, the other placing gentle kisses along his forehead, whispering sweet nothings into his ear in the dwindling light of dying lanterns. Teba eventually extinguished all but one, the low light outlining his lithe figure as he undressed, dark leather giving way for pure white feathers with grey accents. He pulled at the laces holding Kass’s garb together in the back, sliding the light gear over his muscular frame, beak wedging itself in the crook of his neck.

“You don’t have to do this.” Kass muttered.

“I know.”

He brushed his hands over the rippling expanse of muscle, fingers tracing every ridge and crease in the bard’s chest, burning him into his memory. His feathers were smooth and soft to the touch, the creamy orange perfectly framed by a gentle turquoise. His muscle filled his frame perfectly, defined pecs resting above a flat stomach. He teased a sensitive nub between his fingertips, earning a gasp of surprise from the man below him. He slipped his hands lower, feeling the rito’s tough abdominals twitch as he lightly traced them before sliding his hand between muscular thighs, gently stroking the bard’s already rigid cock.

“Teba, that feels… nh… a-amazing, ah…” Kass’s moans were deep and full, liquid gold reverberating through the room, stifled when Teba met his mouth with his own, silencing the bard before he roused their sleeping companion. The canvas may have been soundproofing, but he didn’t want to take any chances. Their tongues engaged in a sensual dance of longing, Kass groaning into the kiss as Teba wrapped his hand around both of their leaking arousals, basking in the slowly growing pleasure of the sensation.

He broke the kiss first, dragging his beak along his lover’s neck, followed by his chest, then his stomach before arriving at his destination. He gave Kass’s member a tentative lick, not exactly loving the taste but not hating it either. He tried imitating what Saki had done, using his tongue and the softer sides of his beak to please the bard, being sure to avoid contact with the sharp tip of his beak. Kass moaned softly at the sensation, reaching down to frame Teba’s face as he performed an admittedly sloppy yet satisfying felatio. He managed to get halfway down the thick tool, being unable to take it any further than his throat, gagging when he tried.

“Don’t force yourself to take it any further than you can, you’re doing wonderfully with what you’ve managed.” Kass smiled gently at Teba, who was too focused on the task at hand to notice. He leaned back, enjoying himself immensely. He had to grip the blanket beneath him, struggling not to thrust into the warm mouth around his dick.

Before he could draw close to his climax, he tapped Teba’s shoulder, signalling for him to stop.

“Let me return the favor,” He whispered, lowering himself until he was facing the warrior’s girth.

He opened his beak, lapping at the head before dragging his tongue along the side of the shaft. When he got to the base, he took one of his plush orbs into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it, enjoying the expression on Teba’s face as he did so. He returned to the head, taking the entire shaft on his first go, breathing through his nose while his tongue teased the base of the cock in his mouth.

“How are you so good at this?” The warrior groaned, lightly thrusting into Kass’s face, clenching his fists as the bard started to move, lazily slurping on his member.

He pulled himself off of the Rito’s rod, who whined at the sudden loss of contact, “A moblin horn and some imagination can go a long way,” he said, winking up at a red-faced Teba before returning to his dick.

He resumed his efforts, wrapping his tongue around the head before sinking down on the tool, taking it to the base of his throat before pulling up again, repeating the action a few more times before hilting the shaft in his throat. He stroked himself as he felt Teba put his hand on the back of his head, gently guiding him up and down his tool. He moaned around the member, shuddering as it twitched in his throat, pulling up a bit to taste the pre leaking from the tip. He stroked the base of the shaft, keeping the head in his mouth while Teba put a fist in his beak above him.

He moved faster when he noticed Teba was getting close, eyes screwed shut, breathing heavily as Kass felt him twitching against his ministrations. He teased the tip gently, tongue grazing along his slit, pushing him over the edge as he moaned into his fist. Kass felt rope after rope of cum filling and overfilling his beak, pulling off and letting Teba paint his face with his essence, swallowing what was still in his mouth.

“You didn’t finish,” the warrior said, gesturing to Kass’s still erect member, stiff and aching for contact.

He pushed himself forward, lowering himself between the bard’s legs again, guiding the heavy shaft into his mouth, delicately sucking him off. Kass moaned and thrust into his throat, forgetting himself in the moment. Teba gagged as the cock made its way into his throat, the overwhelming tightness too much for the Rito above him.

Kass let out a weak cry as he came in Teba’s throat, the other choking on the excess, coughing and sputtering as he pulled himself off, the bitter taste surprisingly pleasant, in spite of the burning in his throat. He tried to catch the rest in his mouth, swallowing what he could, trying to do what Kass had done.

When his orgasm was through, He pulled the smaller rito to him, wiping away the mess on his face with an old rag. “Sorry about that last bit, I couldn’t help myself, heh…”

“It wasn’t so bad,” Teba reassured him, “I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”

“I’ll have to take you up on that.” He pulled the rito close to him, spooning the smaller figure on his bedroll. Kass paused, mulling over the words in his head before adding, “I think I love you.”

“I… I think I love you, too,” he replied, quietly. He settled into the warmth of the larger man as he drifted off into slumber. The words had felt strange on his beak, but in a good way. Everything felt like that right now, a pleasantly alien sensation, and he liked that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I promised you bird smut and I delivered. YOU'RE WELCOME. Oh, and that's not the last we'll be seeing of our little Guardian friend. That 'Major Character Death' tag is there for a reason, after all.


	6. Experimentation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kass and Teba sneak out for a little midnight fluff.  
> Followed by rough anal plowing.  
> But mainly fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HeEeEey there don't hate me for not updating, I got your bird porn ready.

The gentle sounds of a fist bashing itself full force against a wooden door roused Kass from his slumber, bleary-eyed and weary. After the events of yesterday his body felt like it was made of lead, the wooden flooring in the wagon doing nothing to help his aching joints, each one popping to life as he stretched. While he half-awaredly groped for his clothing, a pale wing found its way around his waist, a matching wing following suit, pulling him back down to his well-worn bed roll in a warm embrace.

“Just five more minutes…” Teba mumbled into his ear, groggily cuddling into the warm frame of the larger Rito.

Another knock at the door interrupted the efforts of the drowsy warrior, accompanied by a sing-songy voice shouting, “Rise and shine Bard-Boy! Time to hit the path again!”

“I’ll be ready in a minute!” Kass assured, “Just getting dressed!”

“NoOoOoo…” Teba whined as Kass rose, grabbing a fresh set of clothing as he did so, “It’s cold down he-MPH!” He was cut off by the bard tossing a pillow into his beak.

“Can’t have Harth getting any ideas, can we?” He grinned slyly at the smaller man, “Now go to your room and freshen up. We both reek worse than a brothel.”

Teba grumbled to himself as he slipped from the room, wary of Harth’s presence as he checked the small hallway connecting the front and back end of the Wagon before quickly sliding through his designated doorway. He did his best to clean himself with the rag and bucket of warm water he’d been provided for his morning ritual, scrubbing at the stains matting his feathers. He used a makeshift deodorant of wildberry powder and crushed chickaloo tree nuts to suppress the smell; he’d need to remember to barter for some soap at the first opportunity if he was going to keep this up. Harth may have been absent-minded but even he would be able to piece things together from the smell alone.

He quickly dressed himself in a clean set of clothes, opting this time for warmer Rito garb in place of the usual combat-oriented leather and metal armor. It constricted his flying abilities a bit, but it was preferable to dealing with the below-zero climate of the Hebra region. He heard Kass’s muffled swearing as he walked past his room, chuckling at the sight of the Rito struggling over his no-doubt trashed bedroll, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn stain. He flushed a bit at the thought of the previous night’s activities, shaking the thoughts from his mind as he stepped out to greet Harth at the driver’s platform.

“We’re going to need to fit these over the wheels before we can do any travelling, I’m afraid,” the blacksmith gestured to what appeared to be an oversized pair of snow skis with two latches on either one, “Looks like we’ll have to shovel out the wheels, too, while we’re at it…”

Indeed, the wheels were buried in over a foot of snow, likely from a late-night blizzard, which would be a pain to dig out. It wasn’t the best way to start the particularly wintry morning, but it was better than being chased by a Guardian for six hours.

Once Kass finished cleaning, they each grabbed a shovel and got to work. The snow from the previous night had frozen in places, making the work all the more difficult, especially with the fresh snow getting into sleeves and boots (yes, even Rito needed snow boots sometimes) and any other openings. By the time they’d managed to free two wheels, Teba had already started going numb in his fingertips, feathers doing nothing to insulate against the dampness of melting snow. At this point, they all agreed to taking a break, sitting around the campfire to warm up and dry off, Harth taking the opportunity to feed and water the horses, much to Kass’s chagrin.

“Please don’t bring them so close,” he shuddered as one of them shook the snow from its back, “So unsafe…”

“What have you got against horses, anyways?” Harth inquired.

“I don’t like to talk about i-”

He was cut off by Teba’s sudden interjection, “When we were kids he tried to sneak up on a pony so he could be like the Hero of Legend.”

“Teba please don’t tell this-” A wing to the face silenced him.

“So here he is, crawling through the grass behind the thing, waiting for the ‘perfect opportunity’ as he put it. One thing leads to another and next thing you know he’s jumped up to try and mount the poor thing, which, of course, spooks her into bucking him off. Oh you should have seen it, he was crying for an  _ hour _ before we managed to get him to let us check him for any serious injuries.”

Harth burst into laughter at that, falling backwards into the snow and gasping for breath. He clutched his sides, wheezing with his breathlessness once he’d managed to pull himself back up.

“I-it was a lot scarier than it sounds!” Kass was flush under his feathers, the heat of shame flustering him immensely.

“T-the best part,” Teba struggled to speak through his own giggling, “Was that it was only-pff-only half a year old!”

 

A few more moments of gleeful laughter and one very embarrassed Rito later, they’d finally managed to free the wagon, locking the wheels and attaching the ski plates. While Harth harnessed the horses, Kass settling into his room while Harth and Teba took up the reins. The familiar rumble of the wheels was absent this time, instead replaced by the near-silent sliding of the blades beneath the recently-converted sleigh. He pulled his bedroll from the trunk he’d stored it in, letting it air dry in the warmth of the lanterns he used to heat the otherwise freezing compartment.

When he managed to (mostly) dry the now somewhat-clean mat, he repeated the process with his and Teba’s clothing, making sure he’d gotten rid of any damning evidence while washing them before leaving them to dry. As he slipped from the room, locking the door behind them, a presence behind him made him jump.

“Well goddesses, Bard Boy, didn’t know Rito made ya’ jumpy too,” Harth teased, “On a more serious note, what’s got you so on-edge? There a body in there I should be worried about or somethin’?”

“Oh, no, nothing of the sort. Just leaving some laundry out to dry,” Kass reassured the blacksmith.

“Well then why’re ya’ locking the door? It’s not like I’d be interested in stealin’ your stuff, unless, that is, you’ve got some juicy secrets written down somewhere you don’t want me finding out about?” he raised an eyebrow, “I’m just kiddin’ with ya’, I’m not gonna go rootin’ through your stuff anytime soon. Now lighten up, can’t have you lookin like you’ve seen a ghost every time the candles flicker!” He left him with a pat on the back, grinning while he walked back to the front of the wagon.

Kass shook himself back into reality, making his way to the back of the cart; he’d need learn to take the Rito less seriously. He went through their remaining provisions, taking stock of what they would need to pick up from the Snowfield Stable and what they could forage for on their own. He noted they’d need to stock up on carrots and oats at the earliest opportunity, the horses had gotten halfway through their stock already, what with the surprise visit from their Guardian friend and the detour to Hebra Falls. He took count of the parts Harth had managed to harvest from the deactivated beast in Tabantha Village, tallying 10 screws, six springs, four gears and two shafts.

While he looked over their supplies, Harth traded places with Teba, who feigned a yawn and said something about his shoulders cramping with the steering before handing over the reins. He made his way down to the end of the thin hall between their rooms, whistling at the sight of Kass, bent over before him.

“Gonna need to get you to take inventory more often,” he said when the bard turned around, “Miss the view already.”

“I’m going to take it you came back here to do more than just ogle me,” Kass placed his ledger back onto its wall-mount, “So what do you need?”

“Just wanted to make sure you weren’t still upset about the pony story earlier,” He stifled a laugh, thinking of the bard’s precious facial expressions when he’d told the tale, “Wanted to be sure I wouldn’t need to make it up to you.”

“Oh you’ll definitely be making it up to me,” Kass pinned him to the wall, “Upset or not, I think some ‘reparations’ are in order,” He whispered into the warrior’s ear, making him blush madly as he slipped a hand under his shirt, “Tonight, there’s an old lodge near our stop, sound good?”

“Sounds excellent,” he murmured, getting a quick peck in before Harth called Kass up to help him handle the reins.

 

They stopped for the night at the edge of the snowfields, setting up camp on an overhang just off the beaten path to avoid monster raids. Once the horses were hitched up to an old tree stump, Harth headed off to sleep early, not even bothering to establish a sleep watch schedule. He’d said it would be unnecessary with their location, though it was more likely he’d just wanted a full nights sleep, which was fine with his companions seeing as they had their own plans for the evening.

As soon as they heard his snoring, they flew off into the night, spotting the abandoned cabin just below the ledge of a cliff, still in livable condition. Upon their landing, Kass procured an odd-looking key, using it to unlock the door before tossing it onto a dusty end table. At Teba’s request, he swept the one-room as best he could, managing to clear most of the dust and spider webbing before starting a comforting blaze in the fireplace. They sat together in front of the licking flames, wrapped up cozily together in a heavy blanket they’d borrowed for the night, Kass having had taken the time to gather some ingredients for a nice meal in the warming lodge.

“The fish looks about ready now,” he pulled the pan they’d found outside from the fire, using a dampened cloth as a potholder before carefully placing its contents into two bowls of rice before salting it.

When they were finished with their meal, Teba started to doze off on Kass’s shoulder, lulled to sleep by the crackling of flames and the warmth of the room. Before he could drift off into slumber, Kass reminded him, “You still owe me for the pony story.”

“And what, exactly, do I owe you?”

“I’d say about… This much.” He held the smaller Rito by his ass, taking delight in the small gasp he elicited.

“I, um, I haven’t really done anything like this before, if that’s what you’re planning on…” He was nervous at the prospect of being on the receiving end of Kass’s tool, especially after seeing it in action the previous night.

“If you’re nervous about it I’d be willing to bottom,” he smiled at the flustered warrior.

“I thought I owed you for the-”

“Nonsense, it was just a jest. Besides, I’ve always wanted to try this.”

“You mean you haven’t even, well, you know, done that yet?”

“Not with another person, no, but I’m eager to see what it’s like.”

He chuckled a bit when he saw the tent rising in Teba’s trousers, pulling the Rito over to the old bed, shaking any remaining dust from the sheets. He stripped for the smaller man, relieving him of his clothing as well, before climbing into bed with him, nuzzling his beak into the smooth, white feathers. Teba flushed as Kass began to lightly nip at his neck, moaning when the larger Rito ducked under the sheets, pleasing him with his tongue.

He wrapped the soft tissue lining the side of his beak around Teba’s rod as best he could, being careful not to apply too much pressure while he tongued the shaft in his mouth. He choked a bit when Teba thrust suddenly, forcing himself deeper into the warm wetness of his lover, crying out with the pleasure of the rapid constriction around him. Kass managed to take the rest of the Warrior without incident, finding himself deep throating his cock with ease. While he lubed up the Rito with his saliva, he prepped himself, making use of his fingers to stretch his hole, moaning around the dick in his throat as he did so, earning a twitch and a groan above him.

When Kass reemerged from his efforts, he straddled himself just above the warrior’s arousal, unsure of himself as he lowered slowly onto the sizable shaft. He hissed a bit at the pain of being penetrated, pausing to allow himself to adjust before pushing himself lower. As he did so, Teba groaned in ecstasy, keeping himself from thrusting into the tight orifice as it slowly engulfed his member in the most painfully slow fashion. When he bottomed out inside of the bard, he pulled him into a sloppy kiss, tasting himself on Kass’s tongue as he did so, the Rito moaning into the embrace.

He started to thrust slowly, pulling himself out of the warm hole and gently returning himself to the tight depths with pleasure. The feeling of Kass’s body twitching around him sent shivers up his spine, knowing that he was making the bard shake like this above him, making him squirm around his dick. He pushed a little faster, pulling out a bit more before pushing it back in, taking pleasure in the way Kass’s rod leaked onto his stomach, reaching to stroke him before a blue wing blocked his attempt.

“I-I want you to-nh-to make me cum like this,” he whispered into the warrior’s ear, “I don’t need any help.”

The words made Teba even harder, his thrusts growing in power as he gave his lover what he wanted. He gripped his hips as them both over, allowing himself to really dig into the Rito below him, his thrusts reaching deeper into the bard’s body. The new position also allowed him to strike a certain spot within Kass, making him spazz with the sudden rush of pleasure coursing through his body, his dick jumping and catching them both off guard as he came.

He clenched down on Teba’s member, riding out his orgasm while thrusting himself against the cock in his ass, milking it for what he could.

“Ah, k-keep going, don’t stop until you fill me!” The bard cried out, “Don’t hold back!”

He didn’t have to be told twice, resuming his efforts with double the force, grinding against the bard when their hips met. He leaned down to mutter filthy things into Kass’s ear, telling him what a slut he was, taking it like a common whore, begging for his cum. He groaned as he took what he wanted, rutting mercilessly into the squealing Rito, gruff voice telling him about how he looked when he came all over himself, with his lustful expression, beak tinted red.

He mashed himself into his prostate, making him cry out and scream until his voice went raw. He tried doing what he did with Saki, pulling himself out and then slamming back in, meritting some promising results in the process. He had the grown man beneath him panting, tongue lolling out of his beak, dick hard and dripping onto his stomach, voice to hoarse to moan as he was fucked like an animal. He wanted Teba not to hold back? He’d get what he wanted.

He roared when he reached his climax, slamming into the bard’s abused prostate one last time before pumping him full of his seed, making the man below him groan with what little voice he had left. When he was done, he pulled the bard into a rough kiss, full of passion, stroking him while he thrust with the last of his effort, earning another orgasm from the Rito, who twitched and writhed under his touch. They collapsed, then, each of them a shuddering mess in the other’s arms. Kass had never felt like that before, the intensity of someone else dominating him was bliss.

“Hey, you okay after all that?” he looked over at Teba. The warrior had a concerned look on his face, adding, “I didn’t hurt you or anything, did I? And you weren’t offended by the dirty talk?”

He shook his head, voice too strained to come up with a reply, before leaning into a kiss with the Rito. He’d have to do this again, after his hips had recovered, of course.

“We should be getting back to camp. Harth might come looking for us if we aren’t there when he wakes up and I doubt we’d want him to find us like this.”

Kass stretched as he rose from the bed, sheets thoroughly ruined from their lovemaking. He was glad he wouldn’t need to clean these, as he doubted they would be salvageable at this juncture. It was a good thing nobody lived there; he’d hate to be the one left to clean this mess.

 

They landed just as the sun started to break over the mountains, Teba supporting Kass as the latter tried to walk on legs that felt like they’d been replaced with timber. He led the larger Rito to his room, gently laying him down for a well-deserved rest, draping him with the blanket they’d taken to the lodge as he succumbed to his weariness. He gave him a peck on the cheek before sneaking from the room, quietly closing the door behind him, letting out a sigh of relief as he slipped into his own room. While it was wonderful to have Kass all to himself on a night like this, it was equally hellish trying to keep their escapades private from Harth’s prying. 

An hour later, as Harth rose with the sun streaming through his side of the wagon, stepping out to knock on Kass’s door, as per usual, Teba grabbed his fist, stopping it just before it made contact with the wooden frame.

“I wouldn’t bother if I were you,” he said, “He was up all night keeping watch. He wouldn’t wake up if we were being blasted by guardians.”

“I’ll get the horses ready, then. You gonna steer?”

“I’m probably going to get some shuteye myself. Had to take over once he started guarding the wrong side of the perimeter.”

“You go on ahead and do that, I’ll get us set up for the day’s journey,” Harth chirped, cheerily harnessing the horses. While he took hold of the reins, he couldn’t help but notice as Kass’s door closed behind him, turning in time to get a glimpse of grey as the lock clicked.

Inside, Teba had snuggled up against Kass under the covers, cooing at the warmth of the bard’s embrace. He nestled deeper into his downy chest, momentarily forgetting that he’d need to groom himself for half an hour just to remove any signs of blue and orange plumage. He was content to sit like this, lulled to sleep by Kass’s breathing, his heartbeat; it was like music, in a way, music he never wanted to stop listening to. As he dipped into slumber, he allowed himself to forget about Saki, about Tulin, about the family he was betraying by doing this. After all he’d sacrificed, he deserved to take comfort in the arms of someone who loved him, cared for him with an affection she couldn’t rival, someone who wanted him for him; he had earned this, right?

He had earned this.

After so much devotion to his wife’s needs, he had definitely earned this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, remember how I said the flashback would only be three or four chapters? I lied. I fuckin' grade-a lied. This is gonna be a while, so get ready for backstory. Loooooooots of backstory.  
> Also, to clear up the whole wagon thing, it's about ten feet wide and twenty-ish feet long. (3.05 by 6.1 meters for everyone not-american) It's more like a live-in/storage unit than a delivery cart, meant for long periods of travel. Also the rooms are all eight by three feet (imagine a sleeping compartment in a train but slightly smaller) and just completely ignore any measurements I give in the story bc it's an unreliable narrator eye-balling the sizes of things.

**Author's Note:**

> Fuck yeah bird peen.


End file.
